The CEO of Valve does not believe that the competition between the two digital stores is harmful, although it is unpleasant in the short term.
Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, finds it healthy for everyone that there is healthy competition between its PC video game portal, Steam, and direct competition, Epic Games Store. Until not long ago, Steam had a virtual monopoly on the PC video game market, something that changed back in December 2018, when the creators of Fortnite launched their own solution on the market.
Epic Games, thanks to temporary exclusivities and promotions as a gift of games every week, has been gaining ground; something that, despite everything, Newell considers to be positive for the sector. In the latest print edition of British magazine Edge, the manager talks at length about Half Life Alyx, the latest installment for virtual reality from one of the major Valve franchises, but also from Steam and its competition, Epic Games Store. Newell thus talks about it, as well as the relationship of both digital stores with developers and consumers.
"The competition between video game stores is amazing for everyone," says Newell. “It makes us honest, it makes everyone honest, but in the short term it's unpleasant. You're like ‘Argh, they're complaining, they're making us look bad,’ but in the long run, everyone benefits from the discipline that comes with having someone who comes into your business and challenges you. ”
Free games every week, the weapon of the Epic Games Store.
"We are more scared not of competition, but of people trying to make it impossible," he continues. “If you ask us what scares us the most, it would be from people who fall in love with the Apple model controlling everything and having faceless bureaucrats trying to keep your product away from their market if they want, or designing a store in a way that minimizes the value of the software".
A new opportunity for Artifact
We don't know if this is the best time for Valve to be encouraged to give Artifact a second chance, as there is a powerful new contender in the card game genre with Riot Games' Legends of Runeterra. However, this past week we learned from Gabe Newell himself that his failed CCG will return in a full reboot and will be known, in fact, as Artifact 2.
Despite his unfortunate business model, Newell confessed to being surprised by the failure of the game, as internally, Valve considered it a "very solid" product. Obviously, not enough to earn a place in the card game scene, something that may be more difficult now, but it will return with the lesson learned.
From FreeGameTips we encourage the quarantine of the coronavirus with a smile on the face, as much as possible. With this selection of free games for PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, we want everything to be a little less difficult.
Track | GamesRadar
